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Great Value and Great Quality, winning combination

In an attempt to upgrade myself I have been searching the internet for good quality products at decent prices which might help improve me in some sense, whilst purchasing a couple of new Eau de Toilette's earlier in December, I hit upon FCUK Connect Him.

From reading numerous reviews on Amazon I was impressed that a 100ml bottle could be bought for under £10 and still receive almost unanimous praise. I purchased a bottle on a whim without smelling it and have to admit that after a tough initial spell when I thought i really disliked this fragrance i've really grown to like it and enjoy wearing it.

The scent comes in quite a funky metallic bottle, it is simple and looks basic, with the 'Connect' logo in a black centred area of the silver outer surface, this is fine and I have grown to realise you can package a horrible scent in a bottle which looks like a work of art, the packaging is utterly irrelevant, it matters most how it smells. This bottle is functional and would look fine in any bedroom or bathroom.

The scent mentions that is has elements of rosemary, lavender and basil as well as sage, tea leaves and peppercorn, I have to admit I could smell the lavender although my initial sense when I spray this is of mint and a summery fruit smell, over time this leaves and there is a sweet musky smell which combines well with a man's skin, the smell is manly but also very nice and summery. I think this is a smell I might save for the summer as it really does remind me of warmer months.

On the downside I would say that the product does cloy a little and while it has combined well with my skin I can imagine the balance could go the other way for others who might hate this. In terms of longevity I can smell the scent strongly on the commute to work, on the way home there is still a pleasant sweet smell which I would suggest means the scent lasts around 8-9 hours but does lose its power somewhat in that time.

I have been complimented by my partner, friends and work colleagues, so it does appear to leave a nice impression with others, my overriding feeling is that it will be better utilised for the summer months when the scent will really combine with the fresher summer air.

Whilst i'm not suggesting this is the best Eau de Toilette on the market (I also bought a higher end scent from Tom Ford which I will review separately), it is a great combination of good looks, excellent sweet manly scent and value for money, the bottle is 100ml for £9.90 and this means you can probably get at least 3-4 months of use out of it, as opposed to some of the higher end products which charge £30-£40 for a 70ml bottle.

As you would expect with French Connection, this is smart, sassy and higher middle end in its production, I really like it and will probably buy some more in case prices rise in the near future. I would recommend this as a cheaper option to have in your bathroom alongside a flashier scent for really special occasions.

The scent has the following layers:

Top notes: rosemary,sangria, lavender and basil.

Middle notes: sage, green peppercorn and tea leaves.

Base notes: vanilla, ebony wood, black suede and patchouli.

The overriding smells for me are the lavender and the vanilla, but as I love both of these smells that is absolutely fine, not sophisticated but very nice.